You’ll like All Creatures Here Below because you connect with the leads and their story and want to take part on their journey…for better or for worse.

Mayfair’s The Third Wife is a powerful reminder that the oppression of women is not strictly a Western problem and everyone—women or men—want to be free to choose their own path in life.

While having all the key elements of a mystery, director Stacie Passon’s film is more a character study focusing on themes of the safety of sisterhood and self-imposed alienation.

To me, the film is boring, lifeless, too dreary for its own good, and has really annoying quirks and habits that just irritate me.

An unnecessary addition to the middling pantheon of pot flicks, Breaking Habits, like mid-grade schwag, is unlikely to get you buzzed.

As far as its storytelling, it’s good but rarely rises to the level of inspiring. Fans of Tolkien are going to find a nice, comfortable place in this film, but walk away feeling like they could have dug deeper into this life.

Carion, along with his co-screenwriter Laure Irrman, leave things annoyingly unexplained – which would be fine in a poetic meditation on loss and grief that purposefully raises more questions than answers, but is indefensible in a neither-here-nor-there pseudo-intellectual thriller.

Although Hepi admits that he still has a lot of questions regarding his late mother – and his audience is bound to have theirs, as well – he’s nevertheless put together a stirring, deeply personal, and hard-hitting profile that goes a long way toward illuminating and immortalizing Mita’s contributions to Maori culture and world cinema as a whole.

On the pages of the script, it could come across as forced, but thanks to good direction, editing, and the performances by Robert and Fortas this love story works.

Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story does a good job revealing the man behind the battered visage, on many levels humanizing the excessively partying, hard-hitting Probert. However, the filmmaker chokes when it matters most. He fails to do a deep dive into how this ongoing physical punishment adversely affected the health of Probert (and many of these so-called enforcers) while giving a pass to the NHL’s willful negligence and tacit acceptance or this carnage.

A beautifully told, deeply personal story ... for people who can dig the mumblecore.

Sasha deserves credit not only for making a riveting documentary but also for getting so darkly personal.

It’s refreshing to see intelligent teens (Molly and Amy nonchalantly switch to conversing in Chinese at one point) in a film that doesn’t resort to easy, scatological humor for laughs. In a world mired by conflict and dark entertainment that mirrors it, Booksmart takes a somewhat radical approach by endorsing a bit of light-hearted anarchy.

My one complaint about the film is that it is probably about half an hour too long for my liking (it’s almost 2.5 hours long). Otherwise, I thought it was one of the more honest portrayals of growing up in less than idyllic circumstances with a less than perfect family I’ve seen in quite some time.

The film is as intimate as it can be, but at times, feels like an invasion of privacy.

Dead Trigger isn’t the worst film ever, but it oddly plays things safe. The characters have no discernible personalities, the story threads are very familiar, and the action is as generic as you can imagine. There are still only three good video game movie adaptations, and this is not one of them.

Overall the pace is a little slow and the film is too quiet, but it’s definitely a notch above typical low-budget fare and entertaining to watch.

The life-like thriller, eccentric comedy, and outlandish horror elements don’t quite gel as well as intended, clumsily getting in each other’s way.

My favorite horror offering of the year so far. It’s smart, uncompromising, inventive and just downright hilarious.

Wolf’s directorial command when selecting material to showcase and contextualize the anecdotes spun throughout the film further affirms his mission to paint the most compendious picture possible, and he succeeds quite admirably.

Charlie Says ... missed a chance to explore the psychology of a cult and instead feels like a gauzy art installation without much focus.

Thanks to immaculate design and puppetry work, amazing acting, and a fully realized, vividly crafted world Yamasong: March Of The Hollows is a spellbinding adventure.

The Tomorrow Man is not one of these high-dramas with something profound to say about human natures. It’s more a chance to watch two veteran actors in John Lithgow and Blythe Danner do what they spent their entire lives doing, and that’s act and act real damn good. They find that right balance between being normal and quirky to turn out a grounded performance.

One thing that works well is Catalina Saavedra’s performance as the tormented Olga. The actress finds truth in an underwritten character. She reminds us that cinema needs more well-acted, nuanced films about those who are still inexplicably shunned. Sadly, Marylin brings little to that table. It purports to say a lot with a little but ends up saying very little with, well, a little.

Ask Dr. Ruth is a lovely tribute to the renowned sex therapist, but it’s not blazing any trails of its own as its subject matter has. As a documentary, it’s pretty formulaic.

Shadow is a sumptuous sensory feast filled with spectacle, surprise, and madness.

When the filmmakers focus on the artists who work there, it is moving and engaging. Despite how fun it is to see your favorite musicians in everyday life, there is not much they say that is interesting.

Provocatively toying with horror conventions, Roxanne Benjamin ensures maximum impact when the terror begins; though the occasional awkward edit rears its ugly head. Anchored by a star-making lead turn and sporting superb sound design, Body At Brighton Rock is a bloody good time.

Marvel has clearly saved the best for last and I cannot stress how much those fan service moments will have you cheering. I highly recommend that you see Endgame in a packed theater of fans so that you can experience the climactic ending with the energy of the crowd.

The White Crow demonstrates that, if perhaps not having yet mastered all of the nuances of directing an artful biopic, Fiennes possesses a keen eye for detail – and the man just can’t help but exude sophistication.

The picture is a stylistically fearless rush; surreal one moment, satirical the next but never for a second dull, showy or overreaching.

Silly and scary, atmospheric and disjointed, I Trapped the Devil showcases Lobo’s affection for the genre. He wisely avoids falling into the “gore” trap, instead relying on characterization and our fear of the unknown to raise the hair on the back of your neck.

Pain either destroys us or makes us stronger. The trick is knowing how to avoid the traps and use it for inspiration. While he could have stayed stuck in the black void of sorrow, White instead made something beautiful. Honestly, he could not have paid a better tribute to his friend.

Rottentail is a disappointment, overall, and even forgiving viewers are likely to hop off the bunny trail long before the closing credits roll.

Wild Rose is one of those films that you have to hunt for, and it’s well worth the effort.

The direction keeps things visually engaging, and the editing is flawless. Sadly, for me, the stories don’t connect well enough to justify the whole fated aspect and all but a single song, in this musical, are some of the worst I have had to ever endure.

If you’re not familiar with Indian classical music and dance, the film offers a remarkable showcase of both, and you’ll come away wanting to learn more about them.

Instant Dreams makes a strong case for the necessity of instant photography. Its three main subjects are compelling and well spoken. The film’s powerful, hypnotic images, and the mesmerizing score only add to the dream-like atmosphere being conveyed.

A call to action, a sobering first-hand look at the grueling ordeals refugees face, a story of love persevering against all odds, and a visceral, real-life thriller, Midnight Traveler is a unique cinematic experience that will hopefully snap us all to reality.

Screenplays like A Dark Place only get made because they’re familiar. They present intrigue and drama in a way that doesn’t challenge the audience but reinforces their belief of what a movie like this should be. This conformist methodology might make the movie palatable—and marketable—but it doesn’t make it any good.

Higashide effortlessly switches between the two polar-opposite men, both utterly convincing.

There isn’t much in the way of original content to recommend in this experience beyond the film’s obvious use as easy fodder. The earnestness in which The Church was made ensures its status as an endearing failure, though sadly not as much else.

It’s perfectly entertaining, it’s just not going to win any Oscars, but it doesn’t need to, it’s a summer movie for fans of the comic and adults who still feel like kids. If that’s you, go see it!

Lindsey Shapiro has captured an intriguing piece of hidden history, showcasing women’s strengths and the overlooked roles they played during the world’s most turbulent times of war.

Ihara and Aw’s love story feels real and plays well as represented through fine cuisine.

Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy is a big story with big action along the lines of Carlito’s Way. You can easily jump in on this story without needing to see the previous Ip Man films.

This is a unique, well-acted, handsomely produced movie, overall, the kind of thoughtful and wholesome, high-concept drama that you don’t see much, anymore.

Whether you like blues or not, you’ll appreciate the musicianship on display here. Inspired and inspiring, Satan & Adam will make you thank the heavens for this legendary duo.

ANIARA has plenty going for it — a great concept, a coherent tone, an uncompromising vision, and an ending that’s the ballsiest thing I’ve seen since AI. Sadly these virtues are undercut by some unforgivable sins — it is boring, has underdeveloped characters, and has a childlike understanding of the scientific concepts supposedly undergirding the plot. One of those could be forgivable, but all together they spell doom.

As it stands now though, the acting is good, but the narrative moves like molasses, leaving the audience at a distance.

Good-looking but predictable and schlocky, Mia and the White Lion is ultimately saved from slaughter by its two plucky heroes.

Unfortunately, despite its good intentions, Mary Magdalene boils down to another story about a woman watching a man talk.

Victor Goodview is definitely goofy. There’s terrible ADR, a lot of weird time spent in bathrooms, too much man-butt, but it’s still got a heart of gold underneath. Which makes it fit into the Troma canon quite nicely, if you ask me.

Its premise may not be particularly original. But with it, Knuckleball could still have made for an effective movie, a horror film that’d also have doubled as a meditation on family. In actuality, however, Knuckleball ends up falling into a subcategory of horror films that I like to call “music-dependent.” Take away Michelle Osis and David Arcus’ scary-sounding score, in other words, and the film’s myriad flaws become woefully apparent.

Ultimately, Trading Paint doesn’t amount to much more than an easy way to mindlessly kill eighty-nine minutes.

Tells a fascinating story backed up by solid, compelling performances by Rockwell and Henson.

If you like quiet, meditative supernatural thrillers, you will ultimately enjoy The Wind quite a bit.

A mildly stylish feature without any clear vision or purpose.

Shazam! just refused to take any risks and put all its eggs in the family and comedy basket. The performances by all the leads are the best part of the film.

In these divided times, films centering on political issues either make an earnest attempt to persuade the other side to consider its point of view or play to its political allies and demonize its enemies. The Public does the latter, and the result is to further widen the divide of political discourse with self-righteous finger-pointing.

There’s something for everyone in Amazing Grace. I would definitely recommend checking this out if you’re a fan of concert docs, or of the queen of soul. Even if you’re none of those things, it’s an interesting historical document, so give it a go!

Performances alone cannot save an uninspired script. The story is not bad per se, but it’s not original or inspired and therefore Making Babies wallows in mediocrity, when it needed to make a choice between going for real laughs or have something profound to say about having children to make the journey worth taking.

Screwball is an entertaining way to bring a very serious scandal to light.

Long Lost, Erik Bloomquist’s feature-length debut is a confident, impressive mystery-thriller. The actors are amazing, the cinematography and lighting are great, and the directing wrings tension out of every scene. This is a thrilling watch that will get under everyone’s skin.

Some moments are a bit corny, such as subliminal messages coming from a tape played backward. However, I find the spin that writer/director Daniel Farrands puts on one of the most gruesome murders in history, will make all who see The Haunting of Sharon Tate examine the Tate murders, and maybe our own lives differently.

The film boasts a sizeable effects budget too for some nice explosions, blood squirts, and bullet ballet. Sit back, disconnect, and have fun. Even with the lack of an A-List star, Triple Threat finds a way to stand on its own.

Ruizpalacios, who did a more consistent job in his 2014 debut drama Gueros, combines adventurous theft, archaeology lessons, family aloofness, and a vitiated friendship all in one. The lens of cinematographer Damián García attractively captures all of this, but part of the energy accumulated during the journey wasn’t always canalized in the right direction.

Erasing Eden’s story is not for everyone. Sometimes I wanted to quit in the same way I almost (and actually) gave up on my friends like Eden. But it pays off in the end if you open your heart and stick it out.

Insofar as low-budget horror goes, The Edge of Isolation is successful at exploring its subject matter without becoming to cheesy or hackneyed. The acting and writing are good, as well as the score and cinematography. I think Houkal, who is also a prolific actor, has a good career ahead of him as a filmmaker.

I highly suggest seeking out Knife+Heart if you like 70s & 80s B-movie and exploitation films. This was a spot-on homage to the beloved genre. It’s hilarious and haunting and genuinely beautiful, an ambitious film that the more prudish amongst us will be squirming in their seats during. So this is definitely not something to go see with your parents, regardless of your and their ages.

Economic struggle, crime, intimidation in a variety of forms, and, above all, the lack of affection and joie de vivre, are factors strongly influencing the course of the story. Hu Bo, who could have been a true artist of the cinema, put his spellbinding camerawork at the service of a brutal social exposition with plenty of anger and frustration. The effect is intimidating but very real.

Sobibor may not fully do justice to the Russians’ involvement in WWII, yet it certainly serves as a powerful reminder that the nation, so ostracized by the US these days, has plenty of heroes of its own. Hopefully, it makes enough of a dent Stateside to help the less-aware think outside the box.

Those who support hunting will probably see a very different film in King of Beasts than those who oppose it. Supporters will see a strong, down-home man exercising his god-given dominion over the planet, while detractors will see a psychopath with a pathological need to overcompensate for his shortcomings by killing things. In this sense, Almagor and Harel are completely successful in presenting a subject with enough information that we can come to our own conclusions in the end.

The Vandevere plot effectively turns the film from a cute animated story of talking animals into a thriller with corporate intrigue.

This is a very inventive, original story, in a cinematic landscape that sometimes seems bereft of such things.

Affecting, sincere, and most importantly socially astute ... it’s one of the sharpest and most promising first films I’ve seen in some time.

Rather than an over-reliance on special effects, Captive State thrives on the riveting performances from specifically from John Goodman. This is a cat-and-mouse game between the authoritarian pawns of the aliens with immense technological power and the resistance hiding in plain sight. This is one of those films that will have you thinking in the end.

The Irish humor and setting make for a lovely time with the film as we get a droll glimpse of daily life in Ireland, and things that are lost and found again.

For American viewers, the film will hopefully provide an incentive to learn more about the Philippine-American War, an important but frequently ignored chapter in American history. Thanks to all of this, Goyo: The Boy General avoids being a complete disappointment, and you’ll at least be glad you watched it.

I feel that the laughs could have been spread out a bit more and not all at once, which would make the film not feel as if it was dragging. Bruce!!! is one hour and forty-three minutes but feels more like two hours or over. It’s the case where less is more.

Champs tells a rags-to-riches story set in the brutal landscape of boxing and sports entertainment. You’ll find inspiration from the stories of its three subjects and make you think again about the gladiatorial game and business, we know as boxing.

No wonder that cinematic auteurs like Martin Scorsese and Oren Moverman produced Diane. It brings to mind films like Kenneth Lonergan’s You Can Count On Me, produced by Scorsese, or Moverman’s Time Out of Mind (which also dealt with memories, identity and the limits of human compassion). Jones may lack a little of the former’s humor or the latter’s visual artistry, but perhaps it’ll come later. The hard skills are all here.

The Art Of Self Defense is set in a very peculiar world populated by eccentric characters. While that might turn some off, due to the vision of director Riley Stearns and his incredible production team, as well as a top-notch cast, the movie is as hilarious as it is unpredictable. It emerges as a strong early contender for best film of the year.

Being that I’m a fan of the 60s era and war films, I truly wanted to like this film. I feel like there were many missed opportunities for a film with this particular subject matter.

At the end of the day, Hillbilly still achieves to be a compelling and timely documentary raising a lot of valid points while being charming and fun.

To its credit, Working Woman is laser-focused on its theme. There are no superfluous characters or side-plots. There’s no best friend to confide in, no hilarious sidekick. There’s just a woman who feels all alone like there’s no one she can trust, no one who will understand her.

Ivan Kavanagh has an eye for style and a clear gift for building suspense. That said, the film is sadly less than the sum of its frequently-impressive parts. If nothing else, his messy, violent, dark and sad reflection of our society proves that the Western will never grow old.

An uplifting experience that doesn’t allow sport and competition to overshadow the stories of the runners’ lives.

The problem with Stray is that it doesn’t ever connect with the audience, with the exception of Murphy’s back story. The mystery just unfolds, and we as the audience never engage in the mental exercise of piecing clues together and finding an answer.

Mickey And The Bear is remarkable, maximizing its heartbreakingly honest script and emotional directing. Bolstered by a phenomenal cast and an ending that will leave the audience breathless, there is not a single misstep in the entire production.

The talent on display from the artists involved is incredible, the history of taxidermy is informative, and that it touches upon several different kinds of taxidermy make Stuffed an invaluable resource.

The true star and the reason to watch Pig Hag is Anna Schlegel as Jodie. She puts it all out there—her anger, vulnerabilities, and sexuality are on full display.

In the end, two things prevent Big Kill from being a complete flop. First, Mark Atkins’ cinematography is gorgeous, containing sweeping vistas that would’ve made John Ford proud. And second, although most of the characters are caricatures, several of the actors clearly get a kick out of their roles, particularly Patric. If only the rest of the movie were as entertaining as they are.

Essential viewing for those who want a complete perspective on the history of film. Tons of information is packed into an hour and thirty-seven minutes and much of it I didn’t know before watching.

Dead Ant is not quite the slam dunk it could be, based on its concept and cast. However, the faults don’t deter from the sheer fun and energy of the production. Combine that with the very game cast, led by a dynamic and lively Jake Busey, and you get a recipe for a good time.

Paul Solet’s Tread takes a little while to grab the audience; however, once the stakes are fully understood, it becomes quite intense. Plus, the way it plays with audience sympathy is genius, making for an involving watch.

Pet Sematary balances humor, drama, and horror believably while exploring the inner turmoil of a seemingly ordinary couple; though the script does not go far enough in establishing their new life and dodgy special effects hurt some scenes. Happily, the cast makes up for these flaws with great turns, lead by Jeté Laurence, whose performance is reason enough to watch the film.

This is innocuous, pop entertainment and, taken on those grounds, it does the job just fine.